


Mysterious Rescue

by cassie5squared



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Time Travel, Drama, Family, Gen, Time Travel, Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 00:18:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12971556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassie5squared/pseuds/cassie5squared
Summary: Frank and Alice Longbottom are facing a horrific end at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange and her three accomplices, when a strangely familiar face shows up to save them. AU.





	Mysterious Rescue

“Where is he?  _Where_? I know you’ve done something to him while he can’t fight back!  _Where is the Dark Lord?!_ ”

Bellatrix’s demented screeching almost drowned out Alice’s screams of pain as she thrashed under the Cruciatus Curse. Frank was sobbing, struggling against the Lestrange brothers’ grip as he fought to reach her.

“I don’t know! He’s gone! He’s finished! We don’t know where he is! Please just  _let her go_!”

“ _LIAR_!”

Frank crashed into the wall and slid down to land in a crumpled heap, dazed and bleeding from a cut on his forehead. “Swear I don’t know…” he managed, trying to push himself up enough even to crawl. “Merlin, please,  _Alice_ …”

A sudden explosion of sound made him curl up in instinctive panic and roll towards the wall again, shielding his head. After a moment, however, he realised that not only was he not being attacked, but Alice had stopped screaming and at least two people nearby sounded like they were being strangled.

Bewildered, he looked up.

Rabastan and young Barty Crouch were somehow tied together back to back, struggling to pull away from each other and failing impressively. Rodolphus was scrabbling about in a corner trying to find his wand, and Bellatrix had been completely distracted by a grim-faced young man who’d appeared from nowhere and was now duelling her solo.

Able to recognise a rescue attempt when he saw it, Frank forced his dazed brain into action. Crawling across to Alice, he tried to help her sit up and cast about for their wands. Luckily they were only a few feet away where someone had dropped them. Stuffing her wand into her hand, he left her to recover for a moment while he Stunned Rodolphus and attempted to get to his feet.

“Oy,  _BITCH_!” he roared, trying to get Bellatrix’s attention before she could completely overwhelm their rescuer.

It worked. She half-turned, eyes blazing, and promptly went down as the strange boy’s Hurling Hex put her head halfway through a wall.

The sudden silence was almost deafening; the only noise was Rabastan and Barty still straining to get free, but Alice quickly shut them up with an angry spell.

“…Thanks,” Frank said weakly, not really sure what else to say.

The boy shrugged and stepped closer to help Alice up. “C’mon, Mum.”

She looked up at him sharply, eyes wide, and quickly freed herself from his grip as soon as she was upright. “… _Mum_?”

“I’m pretty sure she’s not old enough to be your mum, lad,” Frank said slowly, though he couldn’t help frowning. This kid - okay, maybe not actually a kid, he looked to be just about of age - definitely looked a hell of a lot like Alice.

There was an awkward silence for a few moments before the boy seemed to remember what he was doing. “Oh. Right. Yeah. Sorry, should probably start with that… I, um… I’m Neville.” The silence continued. “Your son?”

“Uh… no, you’re not,” Frank replied, completely bewildered now. “Our lad’s barely walking, never mind duelling Death Eaters.”

“You know, this really isn’t going the way you used to tell me it did.” Neville sighed. “Look, I travelled back in time, okay? I got hold of a Time-Turner…”

“Those things are restricted to five hours by Ministry regulations.” Alice frowned. “How did you get one that went back further?”

“Long story. Look - just trust me, okay? I knew somebody had to come and pull you two out of this. You used to tell me you never knew who it was, just some teenager who showed up and then disappeared again.”

Frank rubbed his forehead. His head was really beginning to hurt. “And if it was our own kid from the future I can see why.”

“Pretty much.” Neville looked between them. “Honestly, I think this is even weirder for me. I’ve got to go back soon… the time loop’s only stable for a few minutes.”

“Then I guess we’re just going to have to stick to the story.” Alice pulled free of Frank’s embrace and crossed to Neville. “I believe you,” she said quietly. “Nobody would tell a story like that if it wasn’t true. And I - I’m glad it’s you. I won’t forget.”

“Me neither.” Frank glanced at their assailants, all of whom were still out cold, and stepped over to abruptly hug Neville. “Take that back with you, eh? We’ll see you when we get there.”

The young man smiled slightly. “Sounds good. See you there, Dad.” With a hug from Alice, he turned and headed back out, his footsteps vanishing in mid-step.


End file.
